Euobserver.com

Two cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the UK on Friday, according to a statement of the chief medical officer Chris Whitty. "The patients are receiving specialist NHS care, and we are using tried-and-tested infection-control procedures to prevent further spread of the virus," the statement read. Germany, France, Italy and Finland have also confirmed a few cases. The World Health Organization has declared a global emergency.

Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday that she did not rule out testing the power of the Scottish parliament to hold a non-binding vote on independence after prime minister Boris Johnson's government opposed granting a referendum, Reuters reported. "Now, should the UK government continue to deny Scotland's right to choose, we may reach the point where it is necessary for this issue to be tested," she said.

The EU's top court ruled on Friday that it had no jurisdiction to settle a border dispute between Slovenia and Croatia. Slovenia had argued that its fellow EU member could be sued under EU law because it was not implementing a 2017 border ruling by the intergovernmental arbitration court in The Hague. The European Court of Justice said that the two states were required to find a solution between themselves.

The Spanish government announced Thursday that a meeting between Spain's president, Pedro Sánchez, and Catalan leader Quim Torra, scheduled for next week, has been postponed following the announcement of a snap election in Catalonia. "The sooner the snap election is held and the new government is formed, the sooner we will begin dialogue," the government said in a statement. The Catalan Republican Left (ERC) described the delay as "absolute irresponsibility".

The UK is leaving the EU after playing a key role in climate action - just as COP26 comes to Glasgow. With so many policy negotiations ahead, a split between London and Brussels post-Brexit could undermine the 2050 emissions-neutrality goal.

The secretary-general of the European Economic and Social Committee, an EU institution, has been accused by a trade union representing staff for perpetuating a "law of silence" amid a flurry of abuse allegations against its likely future president Jacek Krawczyk.

MEPs demanded the European Commission ensure immediate EU regulatory action on common chargers for all mobile devices by July, enabling users to easily re-use old devices and reducing e-waste.

The EU commission vice-president pledged to tackle disinformation by regulating platforms and cleaning up online political advertising rules. She also pointed to Russia and China as wanting to undermine European democracy.

Eurostat, the EU's statistical office, has released figures showing that unemployment in the EU is at its lowest since 2000. The unemployment rate in the 28 EU states was 6.2 percent in December 2019, the lowest in almost 20 years. The Czech Republic (2.0 percent) as well as Germany and the Netherlands (both 3.2 percent) had the lowest while Greece (16.6 percent) and Spain (13.7 percent) had the highest.

The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has announced some €76.4m in EU funding to provide filters on the Kosovo B power plant. "Air pollution is one of the most acute environmental problems affecting the Western Balkans, including Kosovo," said Borrell. Kosovo B, a thermal power plant, is the largest electricity-generator in Kosovo.

The Greek government unveiled a plan to test floating sea barriers to stop migrants sailing from Turkey to its Aegean islands, German dpa news wire reported. "We want to see whether it can be implemented and whether it can work," defence minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos told Skai TV on Thursday. Migrants stranded on Greek high seas, nevertheless, will have to be rescued under international maritime rules.

In the final legal act of approving the Brexit withdrawal agreement, the EU Council of member states adopted on Thursday the decision on the conclusion of the deal. This comes after the EU Parliament's vote of consent Wednesday and the signature of the divorce pact by the UK and the EU earlier. The agreement will enter into force on midnight, 31 January, when the UK becomes a "third country".

EU regulators fined NBCUniversal €14.3m on Thursday for illegally restricting sales of merchandise linked to films such as "Minions" and "Jurassic World". Such restrictions included out-of-territory sales by licensees, restricting sales beyond allocated customers and restricting online sales to particular territories or websites. The EU commission opened an investigation in 2017 following an inquiry into the e-commerce and cross-border practices in Europe in an effort to boost cross-border online trade.

The reaction of the EU is horror over the level playing field. My reaction is the total opposite. Britain's cocky and ambitious goals for its business climate is one of the best things that can happen to Europe.

The Budapest Capital Court ruled Wednesday that Hungary's competition authority had unlawfully approved the merger of the pro-government press empire, comprising a total 476 media outlets under the Central European Press and Media Foundation (KESMA), the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union said. The merger was declared to be of national strategic importance by PM Viktor Orban's government and thus excluded from scrutiny. The competition authority then gave the green light.

The Luxembourg-based European Court of Auditors (ECA) is set to probe the EU's border and coast guard agency Frontex and will publish its findings next year. "Our audit will ascertain whether it is carrying out its tasks effectively," said Leo Brincat, the ECA member responsible in a statement. Along with expanded powers, Frontex has been slated an €11bn budget for the 2021-2027.

MEP approved a resolution on Thursday calling on the European Commission to make "equal pay for equal work" the founding principle of the new European gender strategy to be presented in March. The text was adopted by 493 votes in favour, 82 against and 79 abstentions. According to the commission, the EU gender pay gap in hourly pay is 16 percent, while in pension income it is 37 percent.

The World Health Organization (WHO) will gather its expert committee later on Thursday - the third time in a week - to discuss whether to declare a global health emergency over the coronavirus. "We are at an important juncture in this event. We believe these chains of transmission can still be interrupted," said the WHO's emergencies chief, Michael Ryan. The disease has killed 170 people and infected over 7,000.

The Scottish Parliament voted on Wednesday in favour of holding a second referendum on independence. First minister Nicola Sturgeon said that the case for independence is "overwhelming" due to Brexit, as the majority of Scottish citizens voted to remain in the EU. "I know not everyone agrees with my position on independence, but I'm happy to have that debate and let Scotland decide," Sturgeon said.

In the coming days, the European Commission will report on whether the eight countries currently holding GSP+ status have been respecting their commitments. The EU's stance towards two of the beneficiary countries will be closely watched: Pakistan and the Philippines.